


On the Path

by iwouldbemerry



Series: Escaping Paradise [1]
Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotions, F/M, Panic Attacks, Realistic, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 10:46:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29434809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwouldbemerry/pseuds/iwouldbemerry
Summary: Just a more realistic reaction to the whole SPOILERS bomb thing. MCs name is Alice.
Relationships: Zen | Ryu Hyun/Main Character
Series: Escaping Paradise [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2162178
Kudos: 10





	On the Path

Yoosung hadn’t arrived yet, so Seven was alone in his apartment when Alice had her breakdown.

Though there were computers and monitors scattered around his cluttered apartment, Seven was stationed at the one with the fastest processor and triple screens– the one he usually used on serious jobs, like hacking the PM’s Facebook page or schooling Yoosung from his private account. Two of the screens were filled with dialog boxes and walls of green ciphertext as he frantically ran around inside his system, trying to stop the asshole who had endangered them all.

The third screen was devoted entirely to the security feed from the CCTVs at Rika’s– no, now it was Alice’s– apartment. He checked it often as he dismantled the hacker’s exploits and built new ones into his enemy’s system, glancing over every couple of minutes to check that she was still there and that everything was fine. 

He had just closed out the messenger after a chat, marveling at how brave she was, to encourage her friends when her life was threatened, when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement on the CCTV feed.

His heart sank– he was too late–

But it wasn’t the mysterious hacker, or any of the RFA members disobeying his orders to stay away from the apartment.

It was worse.

MC had, in the span of thirty seconds, gone from sitting cozily on the soft blue couch to a silent maelstrom of anguished violence. She avoided Rika’s papers and computer, but otherwise took out her emotions on every object within reach– plates, pillows, books, DVDs, all went flying across the room as she punched and kicked and lashed out, face twisted with outrage and horror.  
His face draining of blood, Seven picked up his phone to– what? Call her? He was probably the last person she wanted to talk to right now. Call V? He had been dialing and redialing all day, as soon as he realized what had happened, but with no result. He wasn’t even sure if V was in the country. 

Call Zen, her almost-basically boyfriend? 

He almost laughed. Zen had nearly reached through the phone and strangled him just when he’d heard about the bomb, and it was only Alice’s clearheadedness that had convinced him it was best to wait and let Seven work, rather than storm over there to rescue her and possibly set it off by accident.

Zen seemed so chill most of the time, but he really would have killed Seven if he could see Alice right now.

Just when he couldn’t stand to watch her a moment longer, his finger hovering over the icon that would call Zen, the only person he thought might be able to calm her down, Alice collapsed, sobbing, on the couch. 

The video feed was silent, but he didn’t need sound to tell she was in pain: tears rolled down her face as she rocked back and forth, hands over her mouth, eyes screwed almost shut. She ran her hands through her hair again and again, mumbling imprecations and pleas that he would have recognized even if he hadn’t taught himself to lip-read years ago:

_no no no oh my god no why now oh my god why me why now i can’t believe it i don’t want to die i didn’t sign up for this i don’t want to die i don’t want to die don’t want to oh god please please somebody help me please–_

Seven stared, utterly at a loss for the first time, well, ever. He was always the one who knew what to do, but he couldn’t fix this.

MC curled up on the couch, still crying, wrapping herself in the knitted throw she’d hurled to the floor. After a while, her sobs seemed to slow into long, shuddering heaves, and then just silence. 

He could see her shaking, even through the cameras. His heart broke.

Hesitantly, he opened the messenger and tapped out a quick message.

_Hiyaaaa u ok? I’m working hard so never fear! the RFA defenders will SAVE YOU_  
He didn’t want her to know he could see her. If she had wanted everyone to know how upset she was, she would have just had her utterly understandable panic attack in the chatroom, where everyone could see and comfort her. She was too kind, though, to ever inflict her pain on someone else.

He watched her turn her head slowly, long hair tangled as it draped over the couch, and look at her phone. She reached out one thin hand to pick it up– he could see her knuckles whiten when she read his message, and for a second, Seven was afraid she’d throw the phone away, or not answer at all, or answer to yell at him. He deserved every bit of it, but he wasn’t sure which option would be worse.

_Heya Defender 707_

_Yeah.. I’m fine, I think. Everyone has been so kind. You’re all working so hard.  
I’m grateful. I just can’t wait to see u all at the party!!_

She hugged her phone after she sent the messages, as if it were a teddy bear– or Zen, who she’d definitely prefer to snuggle after today. He could see the emotions passing over her face, quick and fleeting and complicated: sad, angry, amused, irritated, but mostly, deeply afraid.

He was never going to forgive himself, even if everything turned out okay, for ever allowing something like this to happen. Her bravery– not just to trust him and the RFA, but to hide her own pain, rather than cause any more stress for anyone else– shamed him more than he could bear.

With the greatest effort he had ever given, he wrenched himself away from her video feed and dove back into the tangled webs of code. If she was still coping, he didn’t want to infringe on her privacy any more. If he watched her in pain any longer, he’d start crying, too, and with glasses, it was such a pain.

He was going to find the hacker who had endangered her.

For her sake.  
For all of them.

He had to.


End file.
